


About Today

by battlebored



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, F/M, Post-Volume 3 (RWBY)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 16:29:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8292416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/battlebored/pseuds/battlebored





	

The pair stood in silence looking out over the city of Vale. That had always been the backdrop for their late night meetings. They didn't always meet as _protectors_ , as they had met tonight. Sometimes, they would meet as friends. As _James_ and as _Glynda_. Not as _General Ironwood and Ms. Goodwitch._ Sometimes, they would laugh about the old days. About silly little things that had happened in their youth, before either of them held the weight of the world on their shoulders.

 

Neither of them wanted to bring up the possibility that this could be the last time that they would meet like this. “I'm going back. My decision is _final_.” He finally spoke. After the events of the past week, he needed to return to Atlas, no matter what he would face there. Beacon had fallen. His army had been able to establish a safe zone in the city below, and that was all that mattered.

 

However, the world hadn't seen that. The last thing the world had seen was the Atlesian army turning on the citizens of Vale. They had seen Grimm crawling through the streets attacking civilians, and right there behind them were the Atlesian Knights he had put so much faith in gunning down innocents alongside the White Fang and those beasts. He was sure to be returned to Atlas whether it was of his own volition or not. He had decided that he would face whatever punishment awaited him in Atlas with the dignity of a general.

 

She had brought him to this hillside outside of the city because she knew what was going through his mind. That he felt that he was responsible for this mess in some capacity. He always blamed himself. She had brought him here to try and convince him to stay, and he refused with the same cool tone that he always used when he was discussing serious matters in their inner circle.

 

“I'll be fine, Glynda.” He assured her, but he didn't even try to hide the little, nervous breath that accompanied the words. She wanted to grab both of his shoulders and shake him until he snapped out of whatever it was that he was thinking.

 

“They'll kill you.” She shot back harshly. “You'll probably be shot dead as soon as you get off the ship, James.”

 

He didn't have to think to know what would happen. He simply nodded. “So be it.” They stood there, letting those words sink in. So be it. _So be it._

 

“So be it?” the woman asked. “So _be it?”_ She walked closer to him, grabbing him by the shoulder. “We need you here, James. Ozpin is gone and Qrow is probably going to drink himself into oblivion. We need a _leader._ ”

 

She wanted him to stay. She _needed_ him stay. But he just stood there, staring blankly out into the distance as she cried. He didn't have anything to say. Even if he did, would those words be able to fix any of what had happened here? He didn't think so. His opinion hadn't been swayed at all. After all, had he stayed in Atlas, this situation would have been dealt with much more easily. He was supposed to be a _Guardian_ , but his presence had made the problem much worse than it needed to be. “I'm not the one.”

 

“ _James._ ” Her voice was cracking. “ _Please.”_

 

“Ms. Goodwitch.” His tone was formal now. “I will be returning to Atlas first thing in the morning. It is my duty as a general of Atlas and headmaster of the Atlas Huntsman Academy to do so.” He straightened his uniform out of habit. “And now, I'll be retiring. Thank you for meeting me here tonight.” He turned to walk away. There wasn't anything he could do.

She stood there in shock as the general turned walked back down the hill to his makeshift base of operations in some run-down apartment building. She followed him, intent on getting him to change his mind.


End file.
